← Meet the Press
Meet the Press
Meet the Press NOW — July 13
00:51:53
Washington mourns the sudden death of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) as Gov. Henry McMaster (R-S.C.) appoints Graham’s sister, Darline Graham Nordone, to finish out the term. President Trump says the U.S. is renewing a blockade on Iran and tolling other nations for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Federal officials are investigating a deadly ICE involved shooting in Maine.
Loading summary
Transcript153 lines
- [00:00]
Mark Sanford
Now is your time to get into a new Dr. Horton home by taking advantage of its national red tag sales event going on right now through Sunday, August 2nd. Stop by any of its participating communities and find select red tag homes at Incredible Pricing. So whether you're buying your first home or looking for an upgrade, you don't want to miss the red tag sales event going on right now. Discover the Dr. Horton Difference at drhorton.com Dr. Horton, America's builder and Equal Housing Opportunity Builder at Etsy.
- [00:31]
Julia Ainslie
We want to know what moments mean
- [00:33]
Gabe Gutierrez
the most to you.
- [00:34]
Julia Ainslie
Whether it's buying a home or hosting a party, there's an Etsy seller with the perfect original pieces to help you celebrate. Celebrate being human.
- [00:56]
Gabe Gutierrez
Welcome to Meet the press Now. I'm Gabe Gutierrez. As Washington, the country and key U.S. allies mourn the sudden death of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina at the age of 71, he was a fixture not only on Capitol Hill, but on the world stage. And his passing leaves a major void for the Senate as an institution while also raising questions about the future of President Trump's agenda both at home and abroad. You're looking at live pictures in South Carolina, where Governor Henry McMaster is set to announce his appointment to fill Senator Graham's seat through the end of the year. We'll bring you those remarks once they begin. Earlier today, President Trump recommended on social media that Senator Graham's sister Darlene serve out the rest of the term, calling it a, quote, fabulous tribute to the late senator. President Trump reacted to Senator Graham's sudden death yesterday on Meet the Press.
- [01:52]
Mark Sanford
He was, he was such an advocate. He was, you know, if he, if he wanted to get something and, you
- [01:57]
Governor Henry McMaster
know, he had a unique ability. He was able to deal with Democrats and Republicans.
- [02:01]
Mark Sanford
If I had a problem, a real problem, I wouldn't often ask, but if I had a problem with a Democrat, he could work it out. He was a great, he was a great politician, actually. People loved him. Everybody loved him. Well, no, he had some enemy. He was a tough cookie.
- [02:17]
Governor Henry McMaster
Don't misunderstand. He was a tough cookie in many ways.
- [02:22]
Mark Sanford
If he wanted to get something, if he thought he was right and he had people against him, he could be very tough, actually. But he was a good person.
- [02:31]
Gabe Gutierrez
Senators on both sides of the aisle also expressing their shock and condolences after Senator Graham's passing. According to his office, Senator Graham died on Saturday night from a brief and sudden illness. His office revealing yesterday the preliminary cause of death was a tear in his aorta. Senator Graham leaves behind a Long and complicated legacy. Despite initially opposing Trump as a 2016 GOP nominee, Graham became his close ally, helping champion the president's agenda through the Senate. He briefly broke with the president after the January 6 Capitol attack, but later realigned himself with him and championed his return to the White House. During his more than three decades in Congress, Senator Graham was a fierce defense hawk, most recently advocating for strong US Action in Iran and support for Ukraine and Israel. In fact, Senator Graham had just returned from a trip to Kyiv as he continued to make a push for more sanctions on Russia. Yesterday, the White House flags were lowered to half staff in honor of Senator Graham and the president, also ordering all American flags fly at half staff until Saturday evening. Joining me now are NBC News senior national political reporter Sahil Kapoor on Capitol Hill and NBC News White House correspondent Monica Albas. Sahil, I want to start with you. What is the mood like on Capitol Hill today as senators return to Washington, somber?
- [03:55]
Sahil Kapoor
Lindsey Graham had made a lot of friends in this building over three decades. They remember him for his humor and his wit, for his unique ability to influence causes that he cared about and for his, I think, his ability, I think, to get involved in so many different things, to have such an impact across various issues, across party lines. Outside his office right now, there's a signing book on the Senate floor. His desk is currently covered in a black shroud. There's a bowl of white roses on it. Just moments ago, Senate Majority Leader John Thune paid a moving tribute to Lindsey Graham, called him a senator, warrior, patriot, statesman, most of all, a friend that he choked up. He had tears in his eyes, struggled to get through that speech. There was also the Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said he fought with Lindsey more than I worked with him. But if there was a big issue before the Senate, one thing was true. You couldn't avoid him. He was a force of nature, end quote. That's Chris Murphy, of course, Gabe. There are the criticisms as well that help fill out the full picture of Senator Lindsey Graham, most notably, that zigzagging that you mentioned on President Trump. First warning that he'd be a danger to the Republic, then becoming one of his closest allies. There is A quote from 2019 from Lindsey Graham that stands out the most to me. That kind of captures who he was to New York Times Magazine when asked about that zigzag. And he said his goal is to try to be relevant, to play the cards that he is dealt and to try to get good outcomes with those cards.
- [05:19]
Gabe Gutierrez
No, Saha. President Trump, as we mentioned, recommended Senator Graham's sister to fill the vacancy. What more do we know about her?
- [05:27]
Sahil Kapoor
Yeah, it's Darlene Graham. Nordone is her name. She appears to be the heavy favorite to win the appointment to fill out the rest of his term between now and the next few months. By all accounts, Lindsey Graham and his sister are close. They lost their parents when he was in his early 20s. She was just about 13 years old. He helped raise her and get her through school. She cut a recent ad for him when he was running for reelection. Let's play that.
- [05:55]
Darlene Graham Nordone
I was just a kid. I remember that day. Lindsay came running in and just grabbed me up and hugged me. And he was like, I am so sorry. He said, but it's gonna be okay. I'm gonna take care of you. And he did. He's always been there for me, no matter what.
- [06:20]
Sahil Kapoor
And Gabe, I believe the governor, Henry McMaster is expected to announce that decision just about now.
- [06:26]
Gabe Gutierrez
Yeah, that's right, Sahil. Let's go live to South Carolina where Governor McMaster is speaking right now.
- [06:31]
Governor Henry McMaster
Determination and character for his state, for his country and for his world. Lindsey Graham recognized the greatness of America and her obligations to a dangerous world. Lindsey Graham recognized the seriousness of his work, but also the value of humor and a light hearted spirit. Lindsey Graham understood the hopes, dreams and needs of his state and delivered for his state. Every time President Pauper is famous or forgotten, he treated us all the same. We have seen him attack evil and injustice and embrace friendship and the common good with equal fervor and strength. Yes, we are going to miss Lindsay. But we will always remember his quickness, his laugh, and what he has done for us and the world. As he described himself, this poor boy from a little town in South Carolina. Today, under the law, is my duty to and honor to name someone to serve in the place of this irresistible man, this irreplaceable man, this extraordinary man. For the remainder of his term, Lindsay took care of his little sister. In years long departed. It's my honor to ask his little sister, Darlene Graham, to finish his work for him now. And by the way, Darlene, I don't know if I told you, but after we spoke on the phone in the wee hours of Sunday morning and you agreed to serve through tears earlier I had wondered what you would say and I was humbled by your quickness to see the duty that you had to serve. And I called the President afterwards and he thought it was a great idea. And I'm sure you that everyone here does as well. Darlene. Little sister, come forward, please.
- [09:03]
Darlene Graham Nordone
Thank you, Governor. And just bear with me as I try to get through this. But first, I just want to say one thing. I've never heard Lindsey described as is irresistible. So, okay, we'll just start with that. But first, I would like to thank everyone who has called and reached out over the past couple of days. I can't tell you how much it's meant to me and our family. I know Lindsay was loved and respected by many, and I greatly appreciate the memories and even the funny stories that have been shared. These shared experiences, along with our faith, have gotten us through these past two very difficult days. Next, I want to thank the governor for selecting me to serve the remainder of Lindsay's term. It is such an honor. Lindsay has always been there for me and now I will be there for him. My brother was the most amazing person, outstanding leader, and just a genuinely good man. He was kind and considerate and loved by his family dearly, as I think everyone would agree. Lindsay worked harder than anyone. He worked non stop to make our state, country, and world better. He loved his family and loved serving this state and our country. He dedicated his life to our country. It is such a privilege to get to finish some of his important work. And I promise to work hard over the next several months to support the president and carry forward the efforts of my brother on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and the United States. I know Lindsay thought the world of his staff and colleagues, and with their support, I feel confident. I think this is what Lindsay would have wanted, and I plan to honor him in this way. Now, to Lindsey, I miss you more than I can even put into words, but I'm gonna do this. I got it. Thank you.
- [11:32]
Governor Henry McMaster
Thank you. That concludes this ceremony. Thank you.
- [11:41]
Gabe Gutierrez
And there's Governor McMaster wrapping up his announcement right there, selecting Lindsey Graham's sister, Darlene Graham Nordone, to fill his Senate seat. It was a very emotional message from his sister. She's saying that this would was what Lindsey would have wanted. Also the governor saying that he called her on Sunday morning so before President Trump would have voiced his opinion on this one. I want to go back to Sahil Kapoor, who was watching along with me here on Capitol Hill. Sahil, your reaction to that announcement and where this all goes from here?
- [12:22]
Sahil Kapoor
Straight and to the point. The governor, as expected, chose Senator Lindsey Graham's younger sister to finish out the remainder of his term, which goes through the end of this year. Sometime likely in the next month, Republicans will hold a special primary election to pick a new nominee for the general election in November who will serve for the next six years. Far from clear that Darlene Graham Nardone will try to be that nominee. There's no indication of that. She's not a politician nor is she a public figure. There are some candidates who have been suggested for that, including the lieutenant governor, Pamela Yvette, who was one of the runner up runners up in the governor primary. There are others, like Congresswoman Nancy Mace, who have indicated some interest in that. That's another story for another day. The winner will face Annie Andrews, the Democrat and the Republican will be heavily favored in that bright red state. Gabe in the meantime here on Capitol Hill, Lindsey Graham's sudden and unexpected death does leave a void, including on the Budget Committee where he has been the chairman recently. In addition to that, there's going to have to be a new chairman, Senator Ron Johnson by seniority and the fact that the two others ahead of him are chairs of other committees and can't get that spot. He seems to be the favorite to become the next chair of the Budget Committee. And on the Judiciary Committee there's going to be an empty Republican, or rather an empty seat that's going to be filled by a Republican. It's not going to be a situation where Graham's sister simply necessarily takes all of his seats on committees. A Republican leadership can reshuffle those. But that's the situation. She is going to be sworn in and once she is sworn in, Republicans can figure out the committee assignments in terms of what to do with the vacancies created by Senator Lindsey Graham and Saha.
- [13:59]
Gabe Gutierrez
Before I go to Monica over at the White House, I want to play some of the bipartisan reaction we heard today to Senator Graham's death. It's difficult to believe that Lindsey Graham is no longer here with us, that we won't run into him at a meeting day or share a joke with him at this afternoon's vote.
- [14:20]
Mo Elithy
The halls of the Senate already feel
- [14:21]
Gabe Gutierrez
empty without him and I know I'm
- [14:25]
Mo Elithy
not alone in that feeling.
- [14:28]
Gabe Gutierrez
He was a friend to so many of us on both sides of the aisle and I know that I'm not
- [14:34]
Mo Elithy
the only one who finds it difficult to imagine the Senate without Lindsey Graham.
- [14:38]
Gabe Gutierrez
Senator Graham was a very forceful and quick witted presence in every room that he entered. His warm nature made everyone his friend and I feel blessed to be one of them.
- [14:56]
Governor Henry McMaster
That was who Lindsey was. He was proud to be a fierce Republican partisan, but he never lost sight of the need to work across the aisle to make a difference in the lives of Americans. Loretta and I send our condolences to Lindsey family and his legion of friends in South Carolina and around the world. He was an extraordinary member of the Senate. He helped to make it work.
- [15:19]
Gabe Gutierrez
The one thing I can tell you
- [15:20]
Mark Sanford
about losing my friend Lindsey is I'm
- [15:23]
Gabe Gutierrez
losing someone who understands that we serve in public office for our bosses, the people of South Carolina. And Monica, Senator Graham was seen as somewhat of a Trump whisperer. You know, how important was he as a liaison to this White House? And what does his death mean for the president's relationship with the Senate?
- [15:46]
Monica Alba
Yeah, the relationship was a very significant one, Gabe. But, of course, it did start out pretty rocky, with Senator Graham being one of candidate Trump's fiercest critics and then, of course, becoming one. Becoming one of his most loyal allies. I think what is really interesting is the way that sort of the President is talking about this and pointing out pretty plainly that Senator Graham was somebody who was relentless in getting in touch with him. And this is a president who does pick up his cell phone pretty frequently. And he has noted that on the other end of it, more often than not, was a Senator Lindsey Graham, who was trying to get him to see his point of view on a lot of different foreign policy topics, but on domestic topics as well, of course, the two golfed together. They spent recreational time like that together, too, where they were always talking about policy and things that Senator Graham did, did try to act as a bridge over between Congress and the White House, certainly. And so they shared a lot of that in the White House. The president, of course, saying that he really does support this move to nominate his sister, saying that this is something that he had also recommended to the governor, and that he believes is something that Senator Graham would have wanted. As you heard, Darlene herself mentioned that as well, that even though this is hard and emotional for her, she says in her words, quote, I got this, Gabe.
- [17:07]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Monica, Senator Graham also had President Trump's ear, of course, when it came to foreign policy. He was just in Kiev, actually, just hours before his death. Let's listen to some of what Senator Graham had to say.
- [17:20]
Mo Elithy
We've reached agreement with the White House
- [17:23]
Gabe Gutierrez
on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support. It means it's going to become law.
- [17:32]
Mo Elithy
So when I get back to Washington,
- [17:35]
Mark Sanford
I'm going to go with Senator Blumenthal
- [17:38]
Gabe Gutierrez
to the Republican, the Democratic leader, to see if we can find time to move this Russian sanctions package that would give tools to President Trump to help end this war.
- [17:49]
Mo Elithy
I've never been more optimistic than I am today that we have the force
- [17:54]
Gabe Gutierrez
to end this war. There you see it. Senator Graham working really up until the very end. Again, that was just hours before he returned to or returned back to Washington. Monica, is there anyone within the president's inner circle who can kind of fill that void to replace Senator Graham's voice when it comes to how the president views foreign policy?
- [18:17]
Monica Alba
It's hard to say, Gabe, if there is anybody who can actually do that again, just because, because of the amount of time that these two ultimately ended up spending together and having these kinds of discussions. But likely you can expect there will be some lawmakers who may attempt to do so. Whether they will be successful or not is an open question. But that is the perfect example what you just played there about, that Russia sanctions bill. Senator Graham had been trying to push the White House and the president on that for months. He had really been trying to advocate for that and spend specifically what it would mean for Ukrainian children who have been abducted over the course of that four and a half year war. The president saying at times that he was sort of in support of it, but trying to figure out how they were going to get it across the finish line. So we'll see if ultimately that is something that can become a reality now.
- [19:07]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Monica, just want to bring this up. We have video of FBI agents entering Senator Graham's home today. Do we know why that is?
- [19:15]
Monica Alba
Well, we don't have a complete picture, but we do know from some law enforcement sources that they have said that out of an abundance of caution, agents were going back into the home to see if there is anything additional that needs to be done. But to be clear, those sources also told NBC News that there wasn't any new information or evidence that had come to light in the last 24 hours or so since, since law enforcement officials have said that there wasn't any foul play indicated in the death of Senator Graham. Instead it was that medical issue that you discussed at the top. But of course, that is something that, given the presence in that video that you're playing today, did raise some additional questions. But for now, again, no additional evidence or reason for why they may be doing that.
- [20:06]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Sahil, all of this is also raising questions about Senator Mitch McConnell's health. What's the update on that front?
- [20:12]
Sahil Kapoor
Well, Gabe, tomorrow marks one month since Senator McConnell was hospitalized, and yesterday was the first time we heard any update from his office on the specifics of his condition. He released that photo his office did in the hospital bed with his wife Elaine Chao McConnell said in a statement, again, the first time we've heard him directly speak, or rather be quoted, said his doctors confirmed he didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion, that he was in the hospital due to a fall, that he didn't have a heart attack or a stroke, that he doesn't have tumors or hemorrhages. He said he was briefly unconscious and had a mild case of pneumonia in the middle of this hospital stay. However, despite all of that, he said he has unfinished business in the Senate. He plans to serve out the remainder of his term. He is retiring at the end of this year, but notably, he's not ready to come back to the Senate yet. So Republicans here will still be without his vote until such time as he does physically return.
- [21:04]
Gabe Gutierrez
Gabe Saha Kapoor on Capitol Hill. Monica Al, about the White House, thank you both. And joining me now is former Congressman and former governor of South Carolina, Mark Sanford. Governor, thank you so much for joining us.
- [21:17]
Mark Sanford
Yes, sir.
- [21:19]
Gabe Gutierrez
And my condolences to you. You were certainly very close with Senator Graham. Of course, you were elected back in the 90s during the Gingrich revolution. You've had a long relationship with him. I want to get your reaction to the selection of his sister to fill his Senate seat, at least in the short term.
- [21:40]
Mark Sanford
You know, there are no happy endings to these kinds of stories, but I think that's about as happy as you can get. The fact that, you know, that she serves out the last five months or so of his term, I think is a fitting tribute to the life that he lived and to, frankly, their closeness. They were they've always been very, very close as brother and sister.
- [22:00]
Gabe Gutierrez
Take me back to those first hours. How did you first hear of Senator Graham's passing and what was your initial reaction?
- [22:10]
Mark Sanford
Former staffer called me at 3:15 yesterday morning, and it was so, I mean, just out of place. I said, this makes no sense. This can't be. And he said, look, you know, Governor, I wouldn't be calling you at 3:15 in the morning waking you if this wasn't something that I thought was very significant, important and something you ought to know. And it was a former staffer, as I'd mentioned, that they called me, and then a succession of calls from there, and it obviously became real, but it was shocking and not the kind of thing that you could really believe. This makes no sense. I mean, Lindsey has been a force to be reckoned with since the early 90s here in South Carolina. And so the idea of him being gone is just something that doesn't fit. It's shocking and saddening.
- [23:01]
Gabe Gutierrez
Governor, what will you remember most about him? And also, what do you think Senator Graham's legacy will be.
- [23:12]
Mark Sanford
One of most? Remember just the happy times. You know, we started in Congress together in the early 90s, and then we ran for statewide office at the same time, which meant we went to all the chicken dinners and barbecues and all those sorts of things. He ran for Senate and I ran for governor. So, you know, just a lot of funny moments. He had a delightful sense of humor, the way he'd turn a phrase and take an otherwise serious situation, bring a laugh. I remember that. And what I think stands out is the fact that he was willing to risk political capital. I mean, I think that whether you like him or didn't like him, I think to his credit, you know, think about the immigration reform bill. Think about things like that. He was willing to risk political capital. And that's something we see too few days, too few times these days. And I think that'll be missed in the institution of the Senate. I think it'll be missed here in South Carolina for the way that he led.
- [24:11]
Gabe Gutierrez
Governor, as we mentioned, he, of course, Senator Graham was a giant on Capitol Hill, but also on the world stage. How much of a void do you think he'll leave, both in domestic politics and. But especially in foreign policy? I know we were having this discussion with Monica over at the White House earlier. You know, he was seen as the voice in the president's ear. I know you broke with your friend Senator Graham over support of President Trump, but how much of a void do you think he leaves behind when it comes to foreign policy in this administration?
- [24:45]
Mark Sanford
I think a great deal. I mean, that was his area of expertise, and that was his focus. I think that, you know, he was a conduit. He knew how to run the back channels on ideas and was forceful in the way he did. So I think there'll be a real void left there.
- [25:08]
Gabe Gutierrez
Well, you just reacted to Governor McMaster naming his sister Darlene to fill that vacancy through the end of his term. And there is now a rush among South Carolina Republicans to fill Senator Graham's Senate seat for the November election. Are you interested in throwing your hat into the ring? And if not, is there someone you hope to see win that special election?
- [25:32]
Mark Sanford
I've gotten more than a fair number of calls on that, and I think I'll mold that as time goes on. But right now, I just want to mourn Lindsey and stay focused on, you know, what's ahead for him and his family.
- [25:47]
Gabe Gutierrez
If you could just leave us with another story of Senator Graham, something that perhaps think back to the early 90s when you and him came here to Washington. Anything you want to leave us with that you think would honor his life and legacy?
- [26:06]
Mark Sanford
It's a longer story. We don't have time to get into it. But there's a fantastic story that goes almost back to founding fathers kind of feel in that a number of us, 11 or 13 of us, had voted against what's called the rule, which is the mechanism by which the majority controls the House floor based on some things we didn't like. Long story short, we were drugged down to AC5, which is down in the bowels of the Capitol. And Steve Largen, who played professional football with The Seahawks, former NFL hall of Famer, stood up and said, Mr. Speaker, I'm not going to be intimidated, and went through a beautiful speech as to why he thought the caucus in this case was wrong. Lindy came up right afterwards and said, well, Mr. Speaker, I can be intimidated. Just brought down the House in his timing and the way he diffused otherwise fairly tense situation. I could give you 100 stories like
- [26:55]
Gabe Gutierrez
that with Lindy and one more. Governor, look, so many tributes have poured in here in Washington and really around the world. Still. There are some on, you know, the Democratic side who have a different view of Senator Graham's politics. They argue that he went back on his principles when he supported President Trump. That is something that, again, you and him didn't see eye to eye on, specifically on that point. Perhaps. But what would you say to people who say that Senator Graham, you know, perhaps went back on some of his principle in support of the president to have access to the president of the United States?
- [27:37]
Mark Sanford
Again, Lindsay and I agreed on that and many other things. But he was a pragmatic politician. And pragmatic politicians are about not necessarily being iconoclast or idealistic on views. They're very practical. How do I find and stay close to power and then how do I use the tools that come with power? And he was very studied on that. And so he viewed it as a means to an end, which is by staying close to McCain and then ultimately Trump, I'll have more levers to pull and making a difference in my state? He did it very well.
- [28:11]
Gabe Gutierrez
Governor Mark Sanford, thank you so much for your time.
- [28:15]
Mark Sanford
Yes, sir.
- [28:16]
Gabe Gutierrez
And we'll have more on Senator Graham's life and legacy later this hour. Coming up, on war footing once again, US And Iranian forces trade heavy strikes using missiles and drones in the seas and skies as President Trump says. The US Is renewed, renewing a blockade on Iran and tolling other nations for safe patches through the Strait of Hormuz. Plus, another deadly ice involved shooting, this time in Maine. What do we know about the incident and how local officials and the Democratic Senate candidates are responding? You're watching Meet the Press now. Stay with us. This is Telemundo Deportes lead play by play voice Luis Omar Tapia wondering who you should root for at FIFA World Cup 2026 and hosting my new favorite footballista where I will introduce you to soccer's brightest starts and the causes they are championing. Rosedale made me the player that I am today because that's where home is.
- [29:20]
Mark Bednar
That's where family is.
- [29:21]
Gabe Gutierrez
Get ready for the FIFA World Cup 2026 by checking my new favorite footballista wherever you listen to podcast. Hey guys, Willie Geist here reminding you to check out the Sunday Sit down podcast. On this week's episode, I get together with one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, Matt Damon, as he leads the highly anticipated and truly epic Christopher Nolan movie the Odyssey. You can get my conversation with Matt for free wherever you download your podcasts.
- [29:51]
Julia Ainslie
Honey, did you invite the minions over?
- [29:53]
Gabe Gutierrez
Well, you know how we talked about getting wi fi from Xfinity?
- [29:56]
Courtney Kuby
Yeah.
- [29:56]
Gabe Gutierrez
I ordered it this morning, was online in minutes, then they showed up. So they just came over to use
- [30:02]
Courtney Kuby
the WI fi for what?
- [30:06]
Mo Elithy
Better not to know.
- [30:07]
Gabe Gutierrez
Get online in minutes with same day
- [30:09]
Courtney Kuby
wi fi from Xfinity plus lock in your price for 5 years and see Minions and Monsters only in the theaters.
- [30:14]
Julia Ainslie
Xfinity.
- [30:15]
Courtney Kuby
Imagine that restrictions apply.
- [30:17]
Gabe Gutierrez
Not available in all areas. Learn more@xfinity.com SameDayWiFi welcome back. The US and Iran appear to be backsliding into renewed conflict after a weekend of back and forth strikes, with President Trump saying just moments ago that he would hit Iran very hard tonight and tomorrow and sending a war powers notice to Congress to inform them of new military engagements. The President also saying today the US Is reinstating its naval blockade on Iran in the Strait of Hormuz, posting on social media that the strait is open but that Iranian ships will be blocked. Also today calling the United States the guardian of the Hormuz Strait and that it would impose a 20% fee on all cargo transported through the critical shipping lane. It is a remarkable move by the President to have the US Charge what amounts to a toll for safe passage through the strait, something Secretary of State Rubio has repeatedly said would be illegal if it was done by Iran. We've always said a tolling system in the straits would be unacceptable. But we don't just say that. The world has said that. So it's a threat to the world if they were trying to do that. And it's completely illegal, by the way. And there's no country in the world that's in favor of a tolling system except the regime in Iran. So that's not acceptable. No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That's existing international law. That's the way it is. Speaking to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, President Trump just said the memorandum of understanding between Iran and the U.S. was, quote, a test that Tehran did not honor and that additional US Strikes were imminent. It all comes after President Trump told Congress that recent U.S. military strikes were defensive, saying the United States armed forces remain postured to take further action as necessary appropriate. Oil prices in the US surged today nearly 10% amid the renewed turmoil and blockade and what Was its biggest one day gain since April 2nd? Joining me now is NBC News senior national Security correspondent Courtney Kuby. And also Monica Alba is back with us from outside the White House. Monica, I want to go back to you. The President's saying he'll hit Iran very hard tonight and tomorrow. What more do we know about his thinking on Iran right now?
- [32:35]
Monica Alba
And this is the kind of rhetoric that the President was using last week when he was at the NATO summit in Turkey saying and kind of pro, you know, previewing and sort of telling and forecasting what he was going to do. He's doing the same kind of thing again here, Gabe, even talking about potential additional nuclear sites that the US could potentially hit in Pickaxe Mountain and saying essentially that, yes, for all intents and goes purposes, the memorandum of understanding is no longer relevant. That ceasefire is over and that is made clear and also formally and legally made clear in that letter to Congress that you just referenced. But the President also has used this kind of language before, ultimately then saying that negotiations could get back on track. So is this materially different? It's a little bit unclear, but the President is definitely leaning into this kind of talk, Gabe, to kind of imply, imply that there will be more intensive military action. Whether it's something that's just going to be the next couple of days or beyond that is still an open question.
- [33:35]
Gabe Gutierrez
Yeah, man. I want to turn to Courtney now. Courtney, it feels like a little bit of deja vu here. What do we know about the targets that the US could hit tonight? Because I feel We've been, again, speaking about this for several days. Are we past retaliation at this point? Is this just an ongoing tit for tat?
- [33:51]
Courtney Kuby
So the US Military is still saying these are retaliatory strikes for ongoing Iranian provocations in the Gulf. So speaking specifically, going after commercial ships with drones, with cruise missiles, the US Military actually shot two of those down. Yesterday was when Iran was attempting to hit a commercial ship. I think the big question now is this has gone on for about a week, a little over a week now, and the US Military has taken hundreds of strikes. Now they have gone after multiple, many targets, and they have exhausted many of the targets along the coast. There are still more. So I think the big question is, will we see this start to evolve into more than just the military going after the same sorts of things that they have done in the last week? So things like coastal radar sites, anti ship cruise missile launchers, drone launchers, storage facilities, those sorts of things. Will we see them not only move further inland, but potentially go after things like infrastructure, like what Monica was saying, nuclear sites, that would be ratcheting it up in another escalation. It's hard to know because President Trump often does have very strong rhetoric that's not always backed up with the military action.
- [34:57]
Gabe Gutierrez
You mentioned the use of drones. The Pentagon also said that it used sea drones for the first time. What more do we know about that?
- [35:02]
Courtney Kuby
Yeah, so this is the second time we've seen sea drones used operationally, but this is the first time that they were used to actually carry out an attack. The first time, you may recall when there was a helicopter that went down a few weeks ago, some sea drones went in, they picked up the surviving pilots. In this case, the military is using them in ways that we have seen in other operational theaters, places like Ukraine, where they can pack them with explosives, they can literally ram them into a location. And it can operate as almost like an IED in some ways that we used to see, but in this case, it's seaborne.
- [35:36]
Gabe Gutierrez
Well, we were talking earlier, court, about this new 20%, in essence, toll or fee, whatever you want to call it. The president announced today, is the US Military in a position to enforce safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz?
- [35:49]
Courtney Kuby
So there still is passage through that southern corridor. It's really hard for us to track because in many, if not cases, these ships are moving along this sort of quote, unquote, safe corridor where the military is there. They're sort of directing them through. As I said yesterday, they shot down projectiles that were targeting a ship there. So they are providing some sort of a defensive measure to these ships. But in some cases those ships are turning off their AIs, their beacons or their communication devices. So we don't necessarily know through the basic ship trackers how many are going through and what they are. It's really, really difficult to know. All we can say is the the US Military and US Central Command are assuring and they are saying very forcefully that ships are still moving through with their support, in some cases through the Strait of Hormuz.
- [36:38]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Monica, the President also announced a speech to the nation. What do we know about it?
- [36:42]
Monica Alba
Well, we don't know exactly what the topic will be, Gabe. We just know that the White House and the President himself announced that there would be a speech at 9pm on Thursday. We have asked White House officials specifically what that's going to be on. Is this something that is going to potentially be related to Iran as we've been discussing, or a completely separate topic? And officially there is no declaration on that. It's a little bit unusual to forecast a speech a couple of days away without telling us what it's going to be about. So this is raising a lot of different questions, but officially it's unclear. There's some reporting out there that it is possibly related to something that the President has tried to tease in the past, which is the possibility, he says, of what he would assert could be some information about the 2020 election. Again, it's unclear if that is going to be the topic, but we are certainly pressing officials to provide more information,
- [37:36]
Gabe Gutierrez
as White House officials are fond of saying quite often. Stay tuned. Monica Alba at the White House. Courtney Kuby, you're in studio. Thanks so much. And up next, inside Democrats plan to replace Graham Platner after the embattled Senate candidate officially withdraws from the race, setting up a two week scramble for his party to pick up or to pick a new standard bearer to take on Republican Senator Susan Collins. Plus, how the field in Maine is responding to reports of a fatal ICE involved shooting near Portland. Keep it right here and Meet the Press. Now. How does a banana trigger a CIA backed coup? Do AirPods herald the arrival of a new global order? What do led lights say about the future of humanity? I'm Ed Conway and in each episode of my new podcast, Stuff Matters, I take an object, crack it open and reveal the world shaping forces hidden inside. This is economics told through the things we think we understand.
- [38:40]
Mo Elithy
Search Stuff Matters on your podcast app. To listen and follow July means you're
- [38:46]
Gabe Gutierrez
halfway through the year, but there's still time to reach your 2026 wellness goals with half off an annual subscription to
- [38:53]
Sahil Kapoor
the Start Today app. Hi everyone.
- [38:55]
Gabe Gutierrez
I'm Joy Bauer, the Today Show's nutrition expert. And as part of the Start Today family, we offer easy to follow meal and fitness plans. And we support you with simple, realistic tools that keep you inspired to reach your goals. Go to today.comstart and download now because it's never too late to Start Today. Subscription automatically renews each year at 65.99 plus taxes and fees until canceled.
- [39:18]
Mark Bednar
Offer ends July 31, 2026.
- [39:20]
Gabe Gutierrez
Price is subject to change. Visit today.comstart for full offer terms and details. Welcome back. We're following breaking news out of Maine, where federal officials are now investigating a deadly sh involving ICE officers. Authorities say the shooting took place in Biniford, about 20 miles southwest of Portland. They are not providing many details about the circumstances surrounding what happened, but local police say they will not be involved in the investigation. Maine Senator Angus King telling reporters that Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen has assured him the federal investigation will be fair.
- [40:01]
Governor Henry McMaster
My statement to Secretary Mullen, I said
- [40:04]
Mo Elithy
I'm going to say that you have
- [40:06]
Gabe Gutierrez
committed to me that this investigation will
- [40:08]
Mo Elithy
be full, fair and transparent.
- [40:11]
Governor Henry McMaster
Can I say that? He said, yes, absolutely.
- [40:15]
Gabe Gutierrez
ICE's operations in Maine have become a flashpoint in the state Senate race just as Democrats over the weekend announced their plans to hold a convention to pick their replacement for Graham Platner, who made abolishing ICE a pillar of his campaign and who formally withdrew from the race on Friday. Several of the Democratic candidates were reportedly in attendance at an anti ICE demonstration held today in response to this morning's shooting. NBC News senior Homeland Security correspondent Julia Ainslie joins me now. Julia, thanks so much for being here. What are DHS officials saying about this shooting?
- [40:50]
Julia Ainslie
In short, nothing. It's actually really surprising. This happened at 7:30 this morning. Here we are past 4:30pm nothing yet on the record from DHS or ICE spokespeople. Gabe, I think it's a little bit of the lessons learned after Minneapolis. You know, Kristi Noem spoke too quickly saying Alex Pretty had drawn his weapon when he encountered Border Patrol. In this case, though, it's really strange how there have been no details. Emerging sources I've spoken to say they want to gather more evidence. I was able to speak to witnesses. We're hearing from local officials, but nothing yet from DHS on the record either defending what these officers did or or explaining anything about the man who was Shot here.
- [41:26]
Gabe Gutierrez
That's right, the Predi shooting. Trump administration officials that afterwards there's this kind of finger pointing on who said what too quickly. Who's leading the investigation into this shooting.
- [41:36]
Julia Ainslie
We know the FBI is assisting. It appears, just based on what we learned from Senator King there, that DHS is involved and likely taking the lead. That's what happened just last week, if you can believe it. This is the second ICE fatal shooting. ICE involved fatal shooting in less than a week now, and DHS is leading that investigation in Houston. The that's become more of the norm where DHS handles this either through their inspector general or there are other ways for internal investigations while the FBI assist. And locals in this case, as we know from Benefit police are not involved.
- [42:06]
Gabe Gutierrez
And to that point, we mentioned that in the introduction, local officials are saying they're not investigating. How unusual is that?
- [42:12]
Julia Ainslie
It is unusual, although we did hear from the state Attorney's general office that at least Maine as their state law enforcement entity, will be investigating this. We did see some push pull again going back to Minneapolis, where state investigators in Minnesota were often blocked from getting what they wanted from dhs. So we can see if that happens again here. But definitely something that we'll watch and see if there's any tensions that flare.
- [42:35]
Gabe Gutierrez
You mentioned that this is the second ICE involved shooting in less than a week. Do you have any update on the other one in Houston?
- [42:41]
Julia Ainslie
Well, in Houston, we did hear that the man who was shot was not the target that they were going after. What we learned late last week is that there was an address known to ICE that they were on their way to this address. They got very close to this home where they saw this white van. Now, the man that they pulled over was in the country illegally. That hasn't been disputed, but he did not have a criminal record. He'd been in the US for 35 years. And according to his son, he had applied for a work permit and was seeking to stay here legally. Not exactly someone who would be on the top of ISIS list to arrest, much less to end their life. And in this case, oftentimes we're going off of what people nearby are able to get. I spoke to a witness just today who saw this shooting in Maine today. He said no one should have to see such a thing. And he said that the man who was taken out of his car after he was shot, the last words he said to ICE was, I tried to stop. So that's what we want to know both in this and in Houston. If ICE says a vehicle was used as a weapon. We're going to want to know exactly how and whether or not there were any other options available to these ICE officers before they decided to use their weapons.
- [43:46]
Gabe Gutierrez
Julie Ainsley, our senior Homeland Security correspondent. Julia, thank you, as always. And we'll dive into the turmoil inside the Senate for both parties and the White House. The panel is next, coming up right here on MEET THE press.
- [43:58]
Julia Ainslie
Now,
- [44:07]
Mark Sanford
I disagree with Trump on President President Trump.
- [44:10]
Gabe Gutierrez
On occasion, he endorsed me. It's been enormously helpful to me.
- [44:13]
Governor Henry McMaster
Thank you.
- [44:14]
Gabe Gutierrez
President Trump for endorsing me has helped me in my primary. It's just a reality and it's a good reality. I think President Trump's doing it help.
- [44:21]
Mark Sanford
Hell of a good job. And if you get, if you try
- [44:23]
Gabe Gutierrez
to destroy him, you're going to get destroyed.
- [44:26]
Mark Sanford
That's the takeaway.
- [44:28]
Gabe Gutierrez
And welcome back. That was the late Senator Lindsey Graham, of course, in May on Meet THE PRESS with a warning about crossing the president. Senator Graham was a prolific presence on the Sunday show circuit. Over the course of his decades in public service, he appeared on meet the press 63 times. Joining me now is today's panel. Kate Santelles, congressional reporter for Axios Mo Elithy, Democratic strategist and executive director of Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service. And Mark Bednar, Republican strategist who served as head of communications for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Thank you all for joining us here on MEET THE PRESS now. And Kate, I want to start with you. Who do you think can take the mantle from Lindsey Graham as a liaison between the White House and and Senate Republicans?
- [45:15]
Kate Santelles
Right. It's a good question. He did play such a big role in the Senate. He was willing to work across the aisle in a way that a lot of Republican senators weren't willing to do. And we've seen that by all the warm remarks from his Democratic colleagues in the Senate. Now, in terms of his replacement, we know that we have a few interested candidates among South Carolina Republicans, including Congresswoman Nancy Mace, William Timmons, Ralph Norman, Russell Frye. So they're all going to be running over the next few weeks, getting their campaigns ramped up. We know that the White House right now, they see Russell Frye as the number one contender, their top favorite for this race. We know they're a little bit also sour on Congresswoman Nancy Mace as well, who jumped into the race a little early yesterday after news just broke of Senator Graham's passing. But it's big shoes to fill in the Senate. He certainly worked across the aisle a lot and got A lot done during his time.
- [46:03]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Mace broke with the president or at least somewhat over the Epstein files. So she has that to overcome. Mark, does Graham's death make John Thune's job that much harder?
- [46:12]
Mark Bednar
Well, that seat will be replaced by Republican, basically, Senator Grand. The biggest legacy that he leaves is that one of the few people on Capitol Hill these days that he learned that in order to spend political capital, you need to accrue it, you need to gain it. And in an age of Instagram and online fundraising and we see kind of disparate interest throughout Republicans on the Hill right now. You know, Lindsey Graham being able to actually say let's get favors, let's, let's work across the aisle, let's build coalitions, fight for when you need to fight and work together when you need to work together. That is a ability to weave amongst coalitions that, you know, will, that those
- [46:49]
Gabe Gutierrez
are going to be huge shoes to fill, you know. And speaking of shoes to fill, Mo Graham was of course a fierce Trump ally, but he was also seen as someone who, who could work across the aisle, was willing to work with Democrats on some things. Who do you think fills that void for Democrats in the Senate?
- [47:05]
Mo Elithy
There's not a lot. Right. There are not a lot of, in sort of this era where so many elected leaders are penalized by their base voters if they are seen working across the aisle. Lindsey Graham was one of the rare ones who figured out how to do it, who figured out not on everything. And there was plenty of stuff that Democrats disagreed vehemently with him on. But maybe one of the most telling is on when it comes to Ukraine and the fact that he actually dragged the president, who was very reluctant to jump out there on behalf of Ukraine. He dragged the president closer and closer. He brought this Russia sanctions bill to the one yard line and sadly passed away before he could get it over the goal line. Will anyone else in the Republican caucus pick up that mantle and run with it? Remains to be seen. It would be tragic for his legacy, would be tragic for the world if they can't get there.
- [48:03]
Gabe Gutierrez
You know, Mark mentioned that, you know, this will be a Republican seat in the fall. Do you agree? Is there any way a Democrat can win here?
- [48:10]
Mo Elithy
I stopped making predictions over a decade ago when Donald Trump was first elected. So much depends on who the Republican nominee is. And this is a wave year. And if it's somebody like a Nancy Mace, for example, that could make this race a little bit more competitive.
- [48:29]
Gabe Gutierrez
So is that an endorsement for Nancy Mace?
- [48:32]
Mark Bednar
Nice way to put it, yeah.
- [48:33]
Mo Elithy
I will just say that it's folly for any of us to make too many predictions these days.
- [48:38]
Gabe Gutierrez
Well, I want to switch gears a little bit. And Kate, Senator Mitch McConnell finally broke his silence yesterday over his hospitalization. His office released a photo of him with his wife, along with a statement that read, last month I took a fall which landed me in the hospital. My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or stroke. I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages, but I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. He went on to say, I've had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia. What do you make of the timing of the statements release?
- [49:13]
Kate Santelles
Well, it's really interesting, right, because for the last few weeks, we've seen rampant conspiracy theories online about McConnell's health, whether he was conscious or even alive. We had Governor Andy Beshear, for example, call on him last week for transparency to say what was going on. Then we saw that series of phone calls with Leader Thune, Senator Barrasso, Scott Jennings, his former aide, where they all said they had spoken to him for a couple of minutes, 17, 20 minutes. And then that didn't really seem to quell any of the conspiracy theories, which is why we saw this photo released yesterday and this statement explaining what had happened. And one interesting thing to note about the photo is that there's a newspaper in it that shows the Sunday edition of the Washington Post sports section, which can show that the photo was taken recently. And that has seemed to quell some of the conspiracy theories. Some people are still claiming it's AI generated. There's no evidence for that.
- [49:59]
Gabe Gutierrez
I was about to say, yeah, the conspiracy theories running rampant, you know, still on social media. Mark, do you think that the four plus weeks of silence undermine McConnell's credibility here?
- [50:10]
Mark Bednar
Well, as we've seen with after four years of Joe Biden, the American people thirst for transparency, especially from aging leaders. After having been lied to basically by the entire administration about Joe Biden's health, it's pretty understandable that the American public does have skepticism about the health of their leaders. The more that government officials to any degree, health or age or otherwise, could be transparent, that's for the better. And so the fact that at least he's out there now, like, obviously we know he's not running for reelection, Andy Barr is going to take his spot in the Senate. But yeah, of course, transparency is always important.
- [50:43]
Gabe Gutierrez
Should he have released a video?
- [50:46]
Mark Bednar
Yeah, he had the statement, I don't know like where he felt appropriate. But, you know, more transparency is better. You know, we saw that also even with when Dianne Feinstein in her remaining years in the Senate. There's all these questions that happen and it's, you know, transparency is good for the American public.
- [51:01]
Gabe Gutierrez
MO when it comes to the transparency argument, if Democrats wanted to make it, do they have a tougher time making it given the health previous health concerns over President Biden?
- [51:11]
Mo Elithy
And I think I'm glad to hear Mark say what he said because I think there are a lot of Republicans who are giving McConnell a pass, who did not give Joe Biden, did not give Lloyd Austin a pass Secretary of Defense when he didn't tell people that he was undergoing a medical procedure, it was wrong. When the Democrats in charge were did not show transparency, it is wrong. Whether it is Mitch McConnell, whether it is as Congressman Kaine in New Jersey did not kept their constituents in the dark for a long time. I do believe public officials deserve a certain level of privacy. And I understand men of a certain age certainly don't like to share their, like to be open about their medical conditions. But I can't think of any other job where you would hide from your boss for weeks and weeks and weeks that you weren't what your condition was. All of these individuals have kept it from their boss. And that hurts the credibility of government. That hurts credibility of the institution.
- [52:13]
Gabe Gutierrez
And turning to Maine, Democrats announced details for their convention to replace Graham Platner as their candidate in the Senate. It's going to take place on July 25th. It will include more than 600 delegates from all 16 counties in Maine. Mo what would you consider a successful convention?
- [52:32]
Mo Elithy
A nominee who is not named Graham Platner. That is first and foremost, good riddance to Graham Platner. I was never on board the Platner train. The guy was clearly a train wreck as a candidate. So I think what we want is a candidate. We see polling that shows generic Democrat defeats Susan Collins. Now, a generic Democrat won't win. But if there's somebody who can harness the anxiety of Democratic voters, can deliver a coherent change message and can put together the mechanics of a campaign quickly, that's the candidate who has a good shot at defeating Susan Collins.
- [53:11]
Gabe Gutierrez
The word quickly, Kate, you know, if Graham Platner's vetting was seen as an abject failure, do Democrats run the risk of nominating a candidate here who's facing, who would face even less scrutiny or, or vetting given the fact that this process is being rushed.
- [53:26]
Kate Santelles
I think that's a big concern right now among Democrats and a big topic about how to make this nominating process more transparent. I mean, we're already seeing infighting between some moderate and progressive wings of the Democratic Party. We have about six candidates running right now who are all kind of framing themselves as outsider candidates trying to court Platner's voters, but also toeing that line of trying to distance themselves from him. So this is not gonna be a smooth sailing, easy process for anyone involved here. And they really don't have a lot of they Only have until July 27th to pick a new nominee.
- [53:55]
Gabe Gutierrez
And Mark should do you think Susan Collins should feel more or less safe now than she did a week ago?
- [54:01]
Mark Bednar
I think she's safe no matter what you're asking a bullfighter if she's ready for the next bowl, and she is. But as far as these candidates go, it's not just candidates who are running. They're also scrambling to find delegates, too. So you're going to find an ideological sort of Frankenstein's monster that's going to come out of this Democratic Convention because they're going to have to do all this sort of horse trading in order to get all these delegates who are being newly anointed aligned. So I think the circus and the Democratic Party in Maine is understated and it's only going to get more wild as the days and weeks go on.
- [54:31]
Mo Elithy
But would you say it's a healthier process than, say what happened in 2024 when the entire party establishment anointed Kamala Harris and did not go through?
- [54:40]
Governor Henry McMaster
Right.
- [54:40]
Mo Elithy
This is at least going to be a process where more people will be involved in selecting the nominee. And I think that is a good thing for the party.
- [54:48]
Gabe Gutierrez
All right, I have to leave it there. Mo, Mark, Kate, thank you so much for joining us here on the panel. And thank you all for watching at home. I'm Gabe Gutierrez and we are back tomorrow with more MEET the Press now. There's more news ahead coming up on NBC News now.
- [55:03]
Governor Henry McMaster
Thank you.
- [55:13]
Mark Sanford
Such an ordinary thing to walk home from high school. Her name was Mickey Costanzo, just 16. She didn't have far to go. Seemed perfectly safe.
- [55:24]
Gabe Gutierrez
Until it wasn't.
- [55:27]
Governor Henry McMaster
What happened to Mickey?
- [55:29]
Mark Sanford
I'm Keith Morrison and this is five
- [55:31]
Governor Henry McMaster
Miles From Home, an all new podcast from dateline.
- [55:36]
Gabe Gutierrez
Listen to all episodes of Five Miles From Home now, wherever you get your podcasts,